Five Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Career Growth (and How to Stop)

Career growth is valuable to employees, with a 2018 LinkedIn study mentioning that 94% of employees would stay at a job longer if offered pathways to career development. Our 2022 Talent Retention Report showed that a lack of advancement opportunities could send workers to the door, as 28.3% of workers who left their job in the past year cited a “few growth/advancement opportunities” as contributing to their departure.

Despite a desire to advance, many workers hold themselves back with negative self-talk and limiting beliefs that sabotage their career growth. Five of the most common limiting beliefs are:

1. I’m not qualified enough: You see an intriguing opportunity but don’t pursue it because you don’t believe you are worthy.
2. I don’t have enough experience: Another way of self-selecting out of advancing to something new and potentially rewarding is by picking apart what you bring.
3. I’m not good enough: A common refrain for those dealing with imposter syndrome, believing they’ll fail in that position even if they did obtain it.
4. I’m not meant for this: Dismissing yourself from a new career path that you may be passionate about for abstract reasons like you have a different road ahead.
5. I don’t deserve success: More negative self-talk that stunts your growth and keeps you in the same spot.

How to Stop Self Sabotaging

On today’s episode of Find Your Niche: A Career Podcast, host Lori Cole examines these five limiting beliefs and how they impede career growth. She reveals actionable tips to overcome these saboteurs, such as:

• Focusing on what you can learn and achieve instead of what you don’t know
• Creating opportunities to gain experience
• Practicing self-compassion

Additionally, Cole is joined by Andre Riley, Chief Revenue Officer at iHire. The two discuss the Mamba mentality Riley brings to his work, inspired by Kobe Bryant, and how utilizing that mentality helps him be at his best every day.

Enjoy the full episode to learn how to stop self sabotaging, and subscribe for more career growth advice. You can also view additional content on our YouTube channel!